Rothrock Hurls No-Hitter; No. 14 Gators Trounce Raiders & Leopards
Freshman Keagan Rothrock threw the first no-hitter of her collegiate career in Florida’s win over Lafayette to close out day one of the T-Mobile Tournament.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Florida softball team defeated Colgate, 13-1 (5 innings), and Lafayette, 16-0 (5 innings), to open the first day of the T-Mobile Tournament on a mixed weather day at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (12-2) offense stole the show in both games against the Raiders (3-8) and the Leopards (2-5) as the lineup produced 11 runs against Colgate and 10 runs against Lafayette in the first inning of each matchup. Sophomore Jocelyn Erickson was once again a force at the plate as she was a combined 4-for-6 with a team leading five RBI. Erickson now has 25 total RBI on the year and entered the weekend tied for second nationally in the category.
In the circle, UF fans were treated to a no-hitter hurled by freshman Keagan Rothrock (5-2, 1 SV). Rothrock struck out the first eight batters she faced via strikeout before a popup to second base ended the third inning. The Whiteland, Ind., native didn’t allow a base runner until the top of the fourth inning with one out and the only other batter to reach was the leadoff in the top of the sixth via an error.
Rothrock struck out the side three times and finished with a season-high 13 strikeouts. It’s the most strikeouts by a Florida pitcher since Elizabeth Hightower recorded 10 against USF in May of 2021.
Florida utilized the home run ball in both games as Korbe Otis and Erickson launched homers against Colgate, while Reagan Walsh and freshman Ariel Kowalewski went yard against the Leopards.
Overall, the offense was a combined 21-for-45 (.467) with six doubles, four home runs and 16 walks through the doubleheader.
Florida returns to action Saturday, Feb. 24, with a pair of games against Lafayette at 12:30 p.m. and Colgate at 3 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Notables:
* The Gators scored 11 runs in the first inning against Colgate and 10 runs in the first inning against Lafayette. It’s the first time since Feb. 18, 2023 against Central Michigan that the Gators have accomplished the feat.
* Freshman Keagan Rothrock struck out the side three times during tonight’s no-hitter and it’s the first time a Florida pitcher struck out the side three times or more in a game since Kelly Barnhill struck out the side four times against No. 7 Tennessee (March 10, 2019)
* Rothrock’s 13 total strikeouts are the most strikeouts by a single UF pitcher since Barnhill struck out 17 against No. 22 Ole Miss (March 29, 2019)
* Rothrock’s no-hitter is the first complete-game no-hitter of the season thrown by a UF freshman, which follows up fellow freshman Olivia Miller’s complete-game perfect game she threw against Bethune-Cookman during opening weekend.
* Keagan Rothrock – No-Hitter – Lafayette – W, 16-0 (5)
* Olivia Miller – Perfect Game – Bethune-Cookman – W, 16-0 (5)
* The no-hitter is the first thrown by a freshman at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium since Barnhill against Arkansas (May 8, 2016)
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